I've been writing as long as I can remember. I recall the first time I took a big fat pencil and wrote my first letter "A" on a piece of paper. It was a magical moment. From that leaded stick came the marked evidence of an image within my mind. It was amazing.
Since then I have written a few award-winning essays, articles, and published the same. I've owned my own newspaper that reached a readership estimated at 25,000 on a monthly basis. I've wondered through the years why the Lord gave me so much inside my heart and mind that I had to pour it out on paper. I've wondered what I could possibly say to compare with the volumes of wisdom and humor and edification of others I read. I've wondered.
When my friend Peter Lumpkins insisted I begin writing on a blog he created for me when I was in the deepest of depression and grief from the loss of my 33-year-old son, I again wondered what in the world I could offer. I was so broken. So empty. What could come from my pain-ridden heart, my short-circuited brain? And how could I write again? I hadn't written in over ten years. Hardly had I even journaled a thought. But when my son died, I began by writing letters of encouragement to others going through little struggles. I began writing thank-yous to folks for the blessing they were in my life during my loss and struggle to survive it.
I was so computer illiterate to cyberspace that I was extremely intimidated. So much information from so many educated people. I sought answers from them with rather naive questions which at times were considered baiting, ignorant and downright stupid. I retreated to the only place I knew I had a friend. Peter and his blog. In time I made some friends. But theological debates, doctrinal apologetics, and political ramblings were simply not my cup of tea. There was no balm in Gilead there for my broken spirit and grieving soul.
I began a blog called GRIEF MATTERS. And in it I shared the way I was experiencing grief and thoughts of my son. That blog spoke to numerous people. Just this week I received an email sharing how much it has helped her with processing her own grief. It helped others who were also suffering the loss of my son in their lives.
Since 2006 I've written well over 500 posts in one place of another on the blog-circuits of Blogtown. Yet, as I said in recent posts on this blog, I had reached a point where financial strain was shutting down my little influence within a world of millions of blogging people. I shared that struggle with my readers and the next thing I know I'd received the amount I needed to continue for one more month. Then I received two computers to replace those which were totally obsolete in this new age of technological progress. Today I want to tell you of another miracle.
The person who was led of the Lord and yielded to His voice and sent me the 60.00 I needed, asked if he could share my struggles with some other people. I was elated to have the prayer support. For to me, nothing in life can do more to accomplish the Lord's will than the prayers of His people. Intercessory prayer is the most valuable privilege we have as Believers in Jesus Christ. Through prayer we move mountains, destroy the enemies stronghold of hatred and bitterness. Through prayer we call down the blessings from above that only rest in the hands of God and can be directed by His holy voice.
On the day I came home from receiving a computer with a printer, flatscreen monitor and was elated to show it to my husband, we received a letter. Bob handed it to me and said, "Before you float away about that, you need to read this." The thought raced through my mind that we were getting another disappointing notice from the Social Security that negated the hope we'd been given by our representative. Another thought of a debtor whom we owed would no longer accept the pittance we were forced to offer for their services rendered. Then I said, "No. I will not let satan rob me of the joy I am experiencing at this moment from the generosity of a virtual stranger!" I read the letter.
In the letter from a well-known church in Houston, Texas, of which we had absolutely no affiliation other than being a fellow Southern Baptist, was enclosed a check. The pastor of that Houston church shared how my first benafactor of 60.00 had contacted them and lovingly shared how our finances had caused real challenges in our life. He further shared how they wanted to help with my husband and my ministry of devotional writing and along with the ecnlosed check was a promise to send a like amount on the first of each month from now on.
Can you comprehend what I am saying? Let this soak in.
God in His divine plan for me and my writing took a basically unknown author, used a caring compassionate friend, a stranger who'd enjoyed reading my comments and writing on the blog circuits, two other virtual blogging strangers with a desire to keep my ministry going, and a church who'd never read a word of my writing and blessed me with the ability to continue writing. This is an awesome responsibility to say the least. God has so supplied my needs with His riches through His convicting Spirit and response of His people that I am honor-bound to write words to glorify Him in every sentence.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
When I have the permission of the church who so generously has given this blessing to us, I will write an entire post sharing their ministry and purpose. It is a church we in the SBC could and should model ourselves around. I will look forward to sharing their story. selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
